Vendor: A report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners shows that Apple’s (AAPL) retail stores are becoming a major player in U.S. cell phone sales, AllThingsD notes. Earlier this year, Apple began heavily promoting iPhone sales through its Apple Stores. The move appears to be paying off. Apple Stores now account for almost 25% of all U.S. iPhone sales. That’s up from 15% in July. Apple has indicated a goal of eventually selling 50% of U.S. iPhones through its retail chain. Apple Stores now handle 11% of all U.S. cell phone sales, falling just behind big box electronics retailer Best Buy (BBY), which accounts for 13% of all U.S. cell phone sales. Of course, Apple Stores only carry iPhones, while Best Buy carries handsets from a wide array of manufacturers. In terms of U.S. iPhone sales, Apple leads all retailers and carriers. AT&T (T) accounts for 21% of U.S. iPhone sales, while Verizon (VZ) is third with 18%.

Denial: An emergency motion from Samsung to stay $290 million in patent-violation damages awarded by a jury to Apple has been rejected by a federal judge, CNET notes. The South Korean electronics giant filed for the stay while the jury was still considering the case. Apple was awarded $1 billion in damages last year after another jury found Samsung guilty of infringing on a number of its patents. That verdict was reduced to $600 million and a new trial was held this month to determine additional damages. On Thursday, the jury found Samsung liable for $290 million, less than the $380 million that Apple had requested, but more than the $52 million Samsung had recommended. In its motion to stay the decision, Samsung argued that the U.S. Patent Office was reevaluating a crucial Apple patent. The judge denied the stay, noting that the patent’s validity could be raised in an appeal to the Federal Circuit court.

Abuse: Another Apple overseas supplier has been accused of mistreating workers, Reuters notes. The latest allegations come in a report from Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM). The group says that workers at Biel Crystal must perform 11-hour shifts every day of the week and are given only one day off per month. SACOM also says that workers are not paid enough and are frequently injured at Biel facilities. Biel makes the screens used in Apple’s iPhones. Labor activists have made similar allegations about harsh working conditions at other Apple manufacturing partners, especially Foxconn.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.